The use of hand trucks for moving heavy weights about a floor surface is well known. Hand trucks normally consist of a frame with a toe plate extending forwardly at the lower end of the frame for positioning under a load to be moved. The frame has wheels rotated about an axle affixed to the frame so that by pivoting the upper end of the frame rearwardly relative to the wheels, any weight positioned on the toe plate is lifted and moved about the floor surface. A problem existing with the typical hand truck in use today is that the wheel axle is normally affixed to the truck frame and arranged so that immediately upon pivoting the frame rearwardly relative to the wheels, the toe plate leaves the floor, thus putting the entire weight to be lifted on the frame. In addition, since the weight is immediately lifted off the floor, all weight is supported by the wheels so that when the user attempts to lift a load by first moving the upper end of the frame rearwardly relative to the wheels, there is a tendency for the hand truck to roll backwards. To prevent this, the usual procedure is for the operator to place his foot against the wheel axle to apply force on the lower end of the frame so that it can be pivoted backward sufficiently to balance the load over the wheels of the truck for movement.
The present invention is directed towards an improvement in existing hand trucks. Particularly, the present invention is concerned with a means of providing a hand truck in which the toe plate and the frame form a pivot junction. When the toe plate is positioned under a load to be lifted and the operator moves the upper end of the frame rearwardly, the toe plate is pivoted about a fixed, non-movable pivot so that the weight to be lifted is shifted rearwardly. After movement through a preselected angle, the axle is engaged by the frame and the load then shifted onto the axle and the wheels. In this manner, the hand truck permits an operator to position the toe plate under a load and pull the upper end of the frame rearwardly to shift the load onto the toe plate before the total weight of the load is lifted by the wheels. The advantages eliminate the need to brace the hand truck against rearward movement when the weight is first lifted.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved hand truck. More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a hand truck having wheels supported by an axle which is pivotally attached to the truck frame and arranged such that a pivot junction is achieved between the toe plate and frame of the truck permitting loads to be moved by the truck to be first shifted rearwardly before the entire load is lifted onto the wheels, making it easier for an operator to shift the center of gravity of a load to be moved onto the truck with the application of reduced rearward force on the upper end of the frame and, at the same time, eliminating the necessity that the operator place one foot against the axle to prevent rearward movement of the truck when a load is being shifted onto it.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide a hand truck wherein the wheels are supported on an axle pivoted to the truck frame and arranged so that the wheels are always in engagement with the floor surface on which the truck is used and including a catch means to insure that the truck will stand in an upright position.
These general objects, as well as other and more specific objects of the invention, will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.